


Conservation of Pain and Joy

by hypatia



Series: The Incredibly True Adventures of 2 Hackers in Love [15]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies), Leverage
Genre: Art on skin, Brief appearances by Parker and Eliot, Caretaking, Conspiracy, Dancing, Fake suicide mention, HaQ, M/M, Trust, death mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:16:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28161549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hypatia/pseuds/hypatia
Summary: “Body armor improvements have been something you’ve been working on, right?”“Yeah,” whispered Will. “Thought I could help make sure others survived. Reduce defects like that.” He looked at Alec. “Quite naïve of me in retrospect.”“Those improvements have saved lives,” said Alec. “I’ve seen the numbers.”“No.” Will shook his head. “I was naïve to think a senior intelligence operative just accidentally gets issued defective equipment before entering a war zone,” he said.“Oh,” said Alec. “Fuck.”--Q reaches out to Hardison after learning new information about a traumatic event.
Relationships: Alec Hardison/Q (James Bond)
Series: The Incredibly True Adventures of 2 Hackers in Love [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1568371
Comments: 8
Kudos: 39





	Conservation of Pain and Joy

**Author's Note:**

> Title is a reference from _Callahan's Crosstime Saloon_ by Spider Robinson and the source of the name of the dance venue Callahan's.
> 
> (from the wikipedia article): Callahan's Law (also known as the Law of Conservation of Pain and Joy): "Shared pain is lessened; shared joy, increased—thus do we refute entropy." Stated another way: "Just as there are Laws of Conservation of Matter and Energy, so there are in fact Laws of Conservation of Pain and Joy. Neither can ever be created or destroyed. But one can be converted into the other."

**2012 – Not long after the events of Skyfall**

**Torchwood:** Houston. We’ve had a problem here.

 **Red-5:** This is Houston, say again please.

 **Torchwood:** need you to help fill my dance card this week

 **Red-5:** just need wings

 **Torchwood:** there’s an option leaving in 3 hours

 **Red-5:** Booking now  
what do I need to know

 **Torchwood:** Time to draw the hopscotch board 1

 **Red-5:** Shit  
I’m sorry man

 **Torchwood:** It was always a risk

 **Red-5:** Yeah  
MtFBWY

 **Torchwood:** So say we all.

Hardison closed his laptop and looked up to see Parker and Eliot watching him.

“Somethings wrong,” said Parker.

“I need to go to London,” said Hardison. “Tonight.”

“Do _we_ need to go to London tonight?” asked Eliot.

Hardison shook his head. “No, and I can’t talk about it. I’ll check in once a day so you know nothing’s wrong but I should be back in a few days. I don’t anticipate any problems.”

“You’re sure?” asked Parker.

“Sure,” said Hardison and then he grinned. “And if you try to follow me, I’ll send you to Iceland and your luggage to South Africa.”

“Just checking,” said Parker. “Have a good trip.”

“I’ll give you a ride to the airport,” said Eliot.

“Thanks,” said Hardison.

Callahan’s opened its doors on Thursday evening during sound check and regulars knew to show up early when Mike was the DJ. The song he played while checking speakers and levels, never anything you’d hear during the rest of the evening, was often a clue to a theme or mood for the evening. It had been a few weeks since Mike had been the night’s DJ and everyone was hoping for something good.

But tonight, it appeared he was waiting. For just what, no one knew. There was a record spinning on the turntable but he was shuffling other records and occasionally checking his mobile.

He didn’t look up until a man with an American accent yelled from the back of the space, “Hey man! I’ve got a dance card to fill. You gonna play something or what?”

Some members of the crowd grumbled, startled by the rude behavior. But on stage, Mike grinned at the newcomer, “If you help me with sound check.”

“I’ve got you,” said the man who a few members of the crowd, who’d been around for years, now recognized as Gabe, Mike’s boyfriend, who no one had seen in ages.

“What a coincidence,” said Mike, grinning even wider, and he dropped the needle on the record. UB40’s cover of _I’ve Got you Babe_ began to play.

Mike’s friend danced around the space, occasionally gesturing to Mike, who made adjustments on the board in response, and greeting the people he knew from years ago. As the song was drawing to a close, he approached the stage and handed Mike the object he’d been carrying. A record in a plain cardboard sleeve.

Mike slipped it out with care and read the label. “Bastard,” he said softly, but he was smiling fondly at Gabe who shrugged and gave him a smug smile in return. Mike returned the record to its sleeve and set it aside, then hit the lights, dropped the needle on his next record, and the rave began.

Gabe split his time between dancing with everyone he knew and several people he’d just met and climbing onto the stage, which _was not done_ , and dancing with Mike. For his part, Mike appeared to be fighting a valiant but losing battle to keep his hands to himself.

Alec pitched in with Will and the rest of the staff to help close up for the night. Then, as they waited for the last few staff to leave, Will sat on the edge of the stage and Alec stood in front of him, close enough that they could embrace. Will had left an album playing, quieter than the rave, but upbeat to help people get through the late night close of the venue and drown out their conversation.

“I got played Alec,” said Will quietly.

“That sucks man,” said Alec. “We’ve got a lot to talk about?” he nodded toward the sound booth.

“Yeah,” said Will. “But first I need a shoulder to cry on, literally I’m afraid. I haven’t even had a moment to mourn my dead.”

“I’ve got you; you know that.”

“I do,” said Will. “Someday I’ll pay you back for everything I owe you. I swear it.”

“Will, a few years back you spent six months subtly influencing an Interpol investigation that could have landed me in prison for life. You’re allowed to need help in return.”

“Pretty sure I’ve still got red on my side of the ledger.”

“I’m not keeping score Will,” said Alec.

When the last of the staff had left, leaving Will and Alec alone in the building, Will got up and put on the record that Alec had brought him. He sat back down on the edge of the stage and clung to Alec while _Bridge Over Troubled Water_ played. After a moment, Alec helped him down off the stage and they both sat on the floor, Alec holding Will as he wept. They sat there long after the song ended, the record spinning with a quiet, rhythmic burst of static each time the needle hit the label, until Will drew a ragged breath, wiped his eyes and nodded at Alec. Alec stood and offered his hands so Will could pull himself up.

They put away the sound equipment in silence, shut off most of the remaining lights, and made their way to the sound-booth.

Alec locked the door and Will engaged the security system.

“So,” said Alec. They sat down on the shabby futon in one corner of the booth.

“I barely know where to begin,” said Will.

“Is this related to the recent attack on MI6?” asked Alec.

“No, but the murders of my boss and the head of the agency, plus my promotion, meant I got access to records I haven’t seen before,” said Will.

“Are you in danger?” asked Alec.

“Nothing imminent, but I might be eventually.”

“Is anyone else in danger?”

“No, but someone might be eventually,” said Will.

“Is MI6 the threat or threatened?”

“Technically both,” said Will. “We can stop with the twenty questions. I need to ask you something.” Alec nodded. “After I was injured, how much did you learn about what happened?”

“You mean, did I hack the Royal Air Force after they nearly got someone I love killed and wouldn’t even let him talk about it?” asked Alec dryly.

“That’s precisely what I mean.”

“No. I didn’t. I respected that, in spite of all the ways you could have told me the details without either of us getting caught, you kept it classified.” Alec shrugged. “I made a few guesses, but that’s all.”

“Tell me,” said Will.

“You were in a plane crash, somewhere remote, or at least not easy to access for British or other friendly forces. I would guess it was at least twelve hours before you were rescued. And you were the only survivor.”

“Pretty close,” said Will. “It was fifteen or sixteen hours, though I don’t remember all of that. There were four of us in the plane. An MI6 agent named Dalton also survived the crash. He got me out of the plane and…” he waved at his leg. Alec nodded. “But then we were attacked. I wasn’t much use. Managed to shoot a couple, but mostly just reloaded guns for Dalton. He was shot, not immediately fatal, and managed to get the rest.

“I wasn’t in great shape, but I could see that the shot went through his body armor. It shouldn’t have. It was clearly defective. I watched him bleed to death.” Will shuddered and went quiet.

After a moment, Alec prompted, “Body armor improvements have been something you’ve been working on, right?”

“Yeah,” whispered Will. “Thought I could help make sure others survived. Reduce defects like that.” He looked at Alec. “Quite naïve of me in retrospect.”

“Those improvements have saved lives,” said Alec. “I’ve seen the numbers.”

“No.” Will shook his head. “I was naïve to think a senior intelligence operative just accidentally gets issued defective equipment before entering a war zone,” he said.

“Oh,” said Alec. “Fuck.”

“The order came from someone above my boss. It was a low priority, high danger mission selected for the likelihood that Dalton would be severely injured or killed,” said Will. “The rest of us were collateral damage.”

“Jesus, Will. We have to get you out of there,” said Alec.

“I can’t,” said Will. “The recent attack on the agency was a hacker. Two very senior people, plus a dozen others were killed. If I were to disappear now, everyone will believe I was complicit. They wouldn’t hesitate to hunt me down and execute me.”

“I can… Parker and Eliot… We can help.”

Will shook his head. “I can ride this out for a while, it’s safer for everyone and the only other people who knew about this are dead.”

“And your new boss?” asked Alec.

“Hasn’t seen the file and I’ve got the only copy.”

“Did your predecessor—did he know? You’ve said you were—close.”

“I checked into the tech who was ordered to make the defective body armor for Dalton,” said Will. “He was killed in a lab accident the day I got back to London.”

“Accident,” said Alec. “Right.”

“Exactly. But it’s hard for me to believe that Q… that he’d murder one of his own people. Even under the circumstances.” He turned toward Alec. “What does this place do to people? What else is it going to do to me before I get out?”

“How _do_ you plan to get out?”

“There will likely come a time when I or one of my people receives a similar order, when that happens, I do my best to save whoever it is.”

“Pretty sure that’s another hunt-you-down-and-execute-you scenario,” said Alec.

Will raised an eyebrow. “You’re taking that more calmly than I anticipated.”

“I’ve seen some shit the past few years.”

“I suppose you have,” said Will. “You and me both.”

“You haven’t gotten to the part where you get out,” said Alec.

“They won’t try to hunt for me if they think I’m dead,” said Will. “I’ll fake a suicide—grief or guilt—they’ll buy it. It’s in my psych profile after all. I’ll need your help covering my disappearance.”

Alec blinked. “I don’t like it Will.”

“I didn’t expect you to. But I need you. I need to talk through the details. Tell me what I’m missing. Tell me what doesn’t make sense. Tell me if I’m overreacting to this. I feel like I’ve completely lost perspective in the past two days.”

“You’re not overreacting Will,” said Alec. “But you understand why I have some concerns about this _particular_ play and you carrying it out?”

Will nodded, “I do. I swear this is about survival. If I could think of another way I would. I promise. I want out. I want out _alive_ and I need your help to do it.”

“Whatever it takes,” said Alec.

“This isn’t going to be easy,” said Will.

“I know. You sure we can’t just destroy western civilization?” asked Alec.

“I’m pretty sure you want to be on the other side of the Atlantic before we do that,” said Will.

“Probably best. What do you need from me tonight?”

Will grinned. “To start with, take off your shirt.”

“You going to draw on me while we talk?” asked Alec, pulling his shirt over his head. “Parker and Eliot are going to be so confused when I get home.”

“Is this… are… will it bother them?”

“Nah, we have an understanding about old lovers in need. Though Eliot has been the only one to exercise that until now.”

“I’m going to give you wings.”

“OK.”

**Author's Note:**

>   
>  "Houston..." Alec and Will have a set of phrases, all geeky references, they use to indicate a problem they need the other to help with. (Another example: Will used "Danger Will Robinson" in _[Contingency Plan: Mission](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22095787)_ to indicate they needed to change their timetable.) 
> 
> "Hopscotch" refers to a 1980 spy movie starring Walter Matthau and Glenda Jackson. 1
> 
> I'm planning to write some meta about both these things and why Alec and Will use them. I'll post it in [_Mission Scrubbed_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22948420) where I put deleted scenes etc. from this series.


End file.
